This Popular Chili's Menu Item Actually Gets Sent Back To The Kitchen Often, According To A Server On Reddit

Popularity is a strange thing. The more well-known and beloved something is, the more other people will hate it. Chili's took its classic Chicken Crispers off the menu in 2022, despite their apparent popularity. The internet was not happy. The restaurant was quick to point out that it still had Chicken Crispers. It was just using a new recipe for them. While the Chicken Crispers of old and new both have their fans, at least one Chili's server has said the dish gets sent back to the kitchen all the time.

In an AMA thread on Reddit, one user who claims to have been a Chili's server for eight years offered some insider facts about the restaurant. When asked about the original Chicken Crispers, the poster said they were probably gone for good, but also stated they were awful to deal with. The poster said, "It was the single item I got the most refires for because of complaints that it was 'chewy' or 'not what they expected.'" Part of the reason was that the tempura batter didn't adhere to the chicken.

One of the commenters agreed that the batter was chewy and never stuck, and they weren't the only ones. In another thread dedicated to bringing them back, a different user claimed they were one of the most comped items at the restaurant. "Highly complained about item," they said. "They used tempura batter and were not 'crispy' so they were not what people expected a lot."

Chicken Crispers are still a popular item on the Chili's menu, and it offers several combos, but this is the newer version. Surely everyone is happy now, right? Maybe not. In a 2023 Reddit thread, a diner claimed they tried the "new" Crispers for the first time and had no plans to go back to Chili's ever again. Their criticism was pretty blunt, reading, "They suck. The breading sucked. The flavor sucked. The texture of the chicken sucked." Not exactly a Jonathan Gold review, but it gets the point across. Chicken Crispers just seem to be one of those Chili's menu items you should never order.

Others in the thread echoed the sentiment that they never planned to go back to Chili's again because of how much they love the original Crispers and dislike the new ones. Clearly, there's a disconnect between the feelings of some and the observations of Chili's staff. While it makes sense that the dish had some fans, if it's true that they were constantly being sent back, then it's easy to see why Chili's would try to revamp the recipe.

Of course, if people really dislike the new ones, nothing much has changed. At the end of the day, taste is subjective. If you haven't been to Chili's in a while and you're a fan of chicken tenders, maybe stop in and order some Chicken Crispers to see which camp you fall in.